Feature Writing Ethics Values and Principles By Krysta
Feature Writing Ethics, Values and Principles By Krysta Van Alstine
Selecting Sources Based on your research topic: Sources should be the topic’s most influential people Get a variety of sources with different views Make sure these sources will be available to you in your time frame Try to get at least 1 expert Go out of your comfort zone
Making the 1 st Contact Research your source and topic before contacting Know what they do How they will benefit your story Professionally contact them via: Person Telephone E-mail NOT by text message, My. Space or Facebook Although that may easiest for you, it is considered unprofessional and unethical
Problems you’ll encounter Contact sources at least 2 -3 weeks before the deadline of a feature story Ignores you or tells you no: May need to find another source Contact sources by e-mail telling them you will be calling Briefly tell them about your feature story (1 -2 sentences) “Your insight would be very valuable to this story. I will only need about 15 -20 minutes of your time. “ “I will call on Thursday (~2 days to respond via e-mail) to see if you’re willing to do the brief interview and schedule a time that fits your schedule. In the meantime, feel free to e-mail or call me at 555 -5555. ” Call them: If you get voicemail, repeat bullets 1 -3 above, leave your phone number, and tell them you’ll be calling back in 2 days if you don’t hear from them. Call back, if you get voicemail again, leave one more message, wait 2 days, and then MOVE ON. Find another source! 7 days have past!
Communicating to your Sources Always professionally communicate with your source Even if your source is one of your friends Make sure a date and time is agreed upon Allow plenty of time/don’t be rushed NEVER: “I need a quote for a story I’m writing. Can you give me one? ” Or worse, “Can I just make up something about xyz and quote you? ” Press releases for organizations/companies may be different Always Remember: You’re late if you’re on time You’re on time if you’re 10 minutes early
Associated Press News Values and Principles Bring the truth to the world Despise inaccuracies, carelessness, bias or distortions Don’t knowingly report false information or material Strive to identify all sources to prove the source is reliable and knowledgeable Don’t plagiarize
Associated Press News Values and Principles Cont. Avoid behavior or activities that may cause a conflict of interest Report news and all other articles fairly When your seek an interview, always identify you as yourself Don’t pay for your articles, sources or photographs SOURCE: http: //www. apme. com/news_values_statement. shtml The Associated Press Statement of News Values and Principles
Society of Professional Journalism Code of Ethics Seek the truth and report it Test accuracy of information Avoid misleading re-enactments or stage news events Never plagiarize Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience Minimize Harm Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving respect Different sources deserve different treatment Victims of sex crimes, juveniles, celebrities (private information), public officials
Society of Professional Journalism Code of Ethics Act Independently Avoid conflicts of interest Refuse gifts of any sort Be careful with working with sources offering information for money They could just be saying what the people want to hear and not the truth Be Accountable Admit mistakes and immediately fix them Give yourself the same high standard you hold others to have SOURCE: http: //www. spj. org/ethicscode. asp Society of Professional Journalists
Summary Many things can be considered ethical to one person and not to another No matter what, being professional in a journalism (as well as any other) setting is very important You don’t want to lose the integrity of your writing You don’t want to be unethical You don’t want to plagiarize or make anything up because then your article wouldn’t be reporting the truth
Headlines, Cutlines & Pull Quotes, Oh my. Katie Abrams Excerpts obtained from Jane Natt, Purdue University, 2009
Headlines
6 Steps for Headlines Step 1: Read and understand story as you edit it Look at tone: if story is serious, head shouldn’t be lighthearted Pay attention if reporter used qualification: if story says is considering a run, head shouldn’t announce candidacy Step 2: Write a rough headline, experimenting with word combinations
6 Steps for Headlines Step 3: Choose specific, precise words Is there a way I can work 2 angles into headline? Step 4: Make each word count Filling up headline space with unnecessary words – padding – may make head fit, but doesn’t serve reader Step 5: Use action verbs – and some creativity Look up verbs in thesaurus or look for common adages or play on words. But watch out: Taxi and Parties
6 Steps for Headlines Step 6: Start over if stuck
No “Leno” Headlines Crack Found on Governor's Daughter Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers Is There a Ring of Debris around Uranus? Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead Miners Refuse to Work after Death Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant War Dims Hope for Peace
Some Rules Obey the split rules Put modifiers and words modified on the same line Don’t split the verb parts Don’t split prepositions from their objects (tip: you can violate the rules between the second and third lines of a head)
Captions/Cutlines Don’t state the obvious, but answer the reader’s question Connect the picture to the story Cutline should not repeat caption Use present tense when describing action (past tense when adding background info, not describing action) Active voice! Never leave out someone prominent http: //www. ibiblio. org/copyed/cutline_advice/v 1. html CAPTION Cutline can be 1 -3 sentences.
Pull Quotes Readers scan: Pull quotes emphasize parts of your story Does NOT have to be a direct quote from a source! Colorful or telling passage Leads Paraphrased quotes Direct quotes <40 -50 words (leads or introductions may be exception to go longer)
Design Examples http: //www. smashingmagazine. com/2008/06/12/block- quotes-and-pull-quotes-examples-and-good-practices/
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